


100-Word Stories on the Life and Love of Richard & Camille, Series#2

by PoolexBordey_Forever



Series: A Hundred 100-Word Richard and Camille Drabbles Challenge [2]
Category: Death in Paradise
Genre: Angst, Drama & Romance, F/M, Fluff, Hilarity, Loneliness, Love, Misunderstanding, Self-Reflection, Shippy, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-15 08:57:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 2,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10553594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoolexBordey_Forever/pseuds/PoolexBordey_Forever
Summary: Little fragments on the life and love between Richard and Camille. Some hilarious, some hopeful, some sensual, some heartrendingly sad, but most, if not all, form part of a bittersweet, perfect whole.





	1. DANCE

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Long time, no updates on my fanfics. Sorry about that. Real life has been quite hectic for me lately. But hey, I've got Series#2 of my 100-Word Richard and Camille drabble challenge. Yay!
> 
> I started this challenge back in October 2015 as a way to jumpstart my fanfiction writing on Richard and Camille's relationship. If you've read the notes on Series#1, you already know how I found it very difficult to come up with stories with only 100 words. That, folks, has not changed. It's still an arduous task to complete because it requires discipline and distillation of words to convey the core meaning of a story. But it continues to be a rewarding exercise for me. I still have a long way to go (another 60 stories) to complete this challenge. I hope you'll bear with me until the end. Thanks for reading.
> 
> (P.S. In some chapters, I've included dialogues from some DiP episodes (which I italicised), they're not part of the 100 count. I just placed them so people will know what I was referring to. The drabble can be cryptic and incoherent at times, so I need to anchor it to something to give it context.)
> 
> [TIP: Click on the Entire Work tab and you'll have the entire 20 chapters in one page. They're not long so you won't have to scroll endlessly. Also, I'll post the stories on www.poolexbordeyforever.tumblr.com fansite with accompanying screenshots from the TV series. I've been meaning to regularly update that site, too. Um, yeah, this is my way of blatant fansite promotion and subtly 'encouraging' you to have a look at the site to give it some lovin'. TTFN!]

“You owe me a dance,” she announced as they drove toward his beach shack. He huffed. “I’m afraid that’s the first and the last. Anyway, I told you I couldn’t dance.” She shot him a quick look and said: “You danced fine to me. You even know how to hold a woman in a dance.” He looked out the window, face turning red. “Well, I’m not totally clueless when it comes to slow dancing, you know.” She smiled, happy at her success in making him admit something. “Then, you owe me a proper one.” He stopped himself from grinning widely.


	2. PETRICHOR

The first rainstorm of the season caught them off guard. One minute, it was blazing hot, the next, rain poured down in torrents. He silently cursed himself for forgetting to buy a new umbrella. The old one they usually use broke during the last hurricane. Now, they were both rain-soaked, seeking shelter under a makeshift bus stop. They parked the Defender a mile away due to muddy roads. “Let’s use my parka. It’s waterproof,” she suggested, moving closer to drape it over their heads. Her scent assaulted him in the most pleasant of ways. Eyes closed, he thought: ‘Petrichor.’ 


	3. ENFIELD

_So how are we going back?_

  _We have the bike._

_Oh. Actually, do you know what? I…I think I might walk._

_Are you sure?_

_Yeah...yeah, why not? You know, it's a lovely day._

_Well, it's seven miles._

_I'll…I'll be brisk._

_In the sun?_

_Um yeah, well, it's…it's 96 in the shade, it's practically a cold snap…_

 

She didn’t know why he abhorred riding the motorbike so much. It was a newer model, better than what Dwayne had before he came to the island. She decided to drive slowly behind him. “You can go on ahead,” he said, mopping the sweat off his face with his handkerchief and stepping on the side of the road. “What and leave you here in the middle of nowhere to faint from the heat?” She gave him a look that signified he was being stubborn. “It’s just...it’s uncomfortable,” he protested. “Don’t worry. I promise I’ll be gentle,” she teased wickedly.


	4. GOAT

_Are you saying you want to use a goat as your alibi?_

_*Benjamin Sammi nods while the baby goat bleats.*_

_Feeding Richard. *she writes in her notebook*_

_*He stares at her, unsmiling.*_

 

She knew he was in a sulk. He walked off without saying a word. He slammed the Defender’s door shut and irritatedly put his seat belt on. She was amused at first but now, she was getting cross. “What?” She asked, almost like a challenge. He groused audibly: “Really? You named a goat after me?!” She rolled her eyes. “It’s a great name for a goat,” she said, wanting to add: ‘Because goats are curious, independent and intelligent creatures. Like you.’ But he interjected: “You did that to get back at me!” She wished she thought of another name instead.


	5. FRIEND

It had been two years to the day. Her sadness was so palpable it was tearing his heart apart. ‘What can I do?’ He thought helplessly as he saw her struggle. The memory of her dear friend murdered before her eyes, there were no words of comfort for it. He hoped by now he would be brave enough to take her hand. Still, he wasn’t. Her grief was too fragile for him to hold. But he managed to stay with her at her friend’s grave. As he felt her leant on his shoulder, he wished he could do more.


	6. GUN

When he asked who among his team was a great shot, he had a feeling she would be it. The Beretta looked massive in her hands. Yet she expertly disassembled it, sliding the top part off. He watched her as she inspected every nook and cranny to make sure it wasn’t defective or damaged. She quickly put it together and nodded at him. He gave her a curt nod back, hiding the smidgeon of worry. He berated himself because the notion was medieval. ‘She can handle it,’ he thought with pride. ‘She’s Camille, after all.’ She fired. It was perfect.


	7. TEA

She was quite apprehensive as she waited for the water to boil. She didn’t think she could match her maman’s ‘perfect’ tea even if she followed her instructions to the letter. She crossed her arms, then placed them behind her back, clearly unsettled. She was sure he wouldn’t like it. ‘Pull yourself together,’ she told herself. ‘It’s just tea.' Once it was brewed, she gave it to him casually. He thanked her as he brought the cup to his nose, smelling it with eyes closed. Then took a sip and smiled. “That was absolutely delicious.” She blushed, “It’s...just tea.”


	8. ENVY

Jealousy slowly crept up on his official facade. ‘It’s ridiculous,’ he chided himself. ‘To be envious of a dead man.’ But it seemed Charlie Hulme was such a charmer. His female colleague even called him a not-so-typical Englishman. Now this? A quite attractive young woman crying over him? Seriously, DI Hulme looked old enough to be her father! Still, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. Those deep brown eyes mesmerised him. When she offered to bring his suits to the cleaner, he faltered. Better flat out refuse than be hopelessly distracted, he thought not without regret.


	9. SWIM

He made a move that resulted in a miscalculation, plunging them both to the sea below. “What was that for?” she yelled when she surfaced. He, in turn, was doing his level best to not let his woolen suit pull him down. “I thought we were going to get hit by that car and panicked.” She seethed: “So you pushed us off the dock instead?” He shrugged. She swam toward shore. “Um, a little help,” he called. She resisted the urge to drown him as she towed him with her. ‘There goes the grand romantic gesture,’ he thought quite haplessly.


	10. CROWD

He was never good with crowds. Bodies packed so close together mortified him. He had managed to avoid riding the Tube on days like that for so many years. Now, he was faced with the same dilemma. Good god, there was simply a lot of people crammed in this small space, shoulders touching and hips swaying in time to the very loud music. He resisted the urge to run out of there and never look back. But he felt her soft hand tug his resolutely, encouragingly. He would follow her anywhere even if it scared the hell out of him.


	11. MESS

She looked at his desk, all tidy and neat. His out tray was always empty at the end of the day. How could he handle that much paperwork? But then, this was the man who could fill up forms, file, sign and deliver them in triplicate in one day! She couldn’t imagine living with a neat freak, she thought. She caught him looking at her desk on the verge of having a fit and she raised an eyebrow. He backed off, biting his criticism. She sighed. “Alright, I’ll do a little bit of tidying.” He smirked. “Not because of you!”


	12. SMILE

It looked weird, she mused. She never saw anyone with that kind of smile before. It seemed only one side of his mouth was smiling. She struggled to come up with the French word and settled for 'de guingois'. She knew it didn’t thoroughly describe what he showed her at the weather station not long ago. So she gave up. Instead, she focused on how it felt then. Warm, kind, trusting, open. Human. It tugged at her heart. She wished he would do it more often. Of course, he won’t. But once in a while, he did. Just for her. 


	13. MEGAN

She had been relentless with her teasing lately. It felt like he was being assaulted left and right by unuttered innuendos, that it was downright getting into the territory of insubordination. And no amount of calling her name in admonishment was working. ‘What had brought this on?’ he thought desperately. He noticed her rolling her eyes when he said he’d see how Mrs.Talbot was doing in the cell. A wayward thought flashed in his head: jealousy over Megan Talbot? He dismissed it as immediately as it came. Impossible. In his opinion, she was smarter and more beautiful than Megan.


	14. PHONE

She spent a good half an hour taking pictures of herself with Dwayne and Fidel. Apparently, she had upgraded to the latest smartphone. He looked at her disapprovingly as she went about taking ‘selfies’ but she took no notice of it. He glanced at the ‘ancient’ mobile on his desk. He wouldn’t frivolously replace a device that was still functioning. Just then she sauntered beside him and said, “Smile, Richard.” He looked up and saw both their faces framed on the screen of her phone, her smile as infectious as ever. He smiled. Perhaps, it was time for a change.


	15. HUG

He wasn’t good with hugs. In fact, he was awful at it. Unfortunately, he was seconded to an island filled with people who openly embraced and kissed each other in greeting. So he tried to avoid getting hugged by making excuses or simply staying out of reach. But these didn’t work for her. He knew she was aware of his discomfort. He didn’t know want to do. He stood ramrod, arms glued to his side as she threw her arms around his neck. He closed his eyes, feeling her warmth envelop him. God, he wished he could hug her back. 


	16. MAMAN

She glanced at her boss who was fidgeting in the passenger seat. “Do you really hate being thrust in a new situation that much?” She asked sincerely, eyes glued to the road. She heard him sigh. “You should have told me we were going to your mother’s bar.” She shrugged, “You would have met her sooner or later. Though, you did insult her Frenchness.” An audible groan made her look his way. “I...about that...I didn’t mean to...you know...” She grinned. “No worries. Just make sure to apologise or there will be no tea in your future.” 


	17. NAKED

_You’re early._

_Don’t you get hot at night wearing all that?_

_Yes._

_Then you should sleep naked._

_(He stops in his tracks.)_

_I do._

_(He looks back at her and sighs.)_

 

It took all his willpower to maintain a stoic face after hearing THAT information from her. Did she not know that THAT was bordering on sexual harassment? If he jokingly retorted a double entendre he knew he would be in big trouble from the Professional Standards Department. But she said it like it was nothing! He tried very hard not to let his mind imagine what she would look like, especially when she was standing right in front of him. God, not another thing that would keep him up at night, aside from the heat and mosquitoes. Up?! Ah, bollocks!


	18. NAKED 2.0

She liked making him awkward. He was right when he said she found amusement at his discomfort. She really couldn’t stop herself from taking advantage of her straight-laced boss who blustered and blushed his way out of it. She detected a hint of something else as he sighed and gave her a chastising look for saying something risque. She tried to keep an innocent face as she glanced at him. ‘Oh THAT definitely got his imagination going,’ she thought, smiling impishly. She decided to change the subject before she went too far. “Shouldn’t your lizard be on the inside?”


	19. PARTNER

She was like a goddess who emerged from the stormy seas. Rain-slicked curls framed her face as her mouth hauled air, making her shoulders heaved at the effort. For one tiny moment, he allowed himself to look at her and drink her all in. She was beautiful and oh-so-stubborn. As stubborn as he was, he thought. For here she was with him despite the hurricane outside. He assumed she would follow him no matter how dangerous, out of duty or loyalty. But for this one moment, he allowed himself to think it was because she wanted to.


	20. RUDE

_This is about last night isn’t it?_

_What?_

_Why you’re being so grumpy._

_I don’t know what you’re talking about._

_Because we all went for a drink last night._

_No, no, no. Not ‘we all’. Just you three._

_I knew that’s what it was. Okay, look…_

_No, just discovering the words ‘we all’ doesn’t seem to include me? It’s a little bit chastening, that’s all._

_How can it include you? You never come out for a drink._

_You never ask me._

_No, no, no. We stopped asking. There’s a difference. And you tell me, who’s more rude, the person who stops asking or the person who once never says yes?_

 

He realised he was the rude one. Of course, he didn’t admit it to her because he was still smarting from the effect of not being invited. How could he explain to her the feeling of loneliness and isolation it brought back? When he was in Croydon, nobody ever invited him out to lunch or drinks at the pub. Over there, he was always being left out. But in his haste to feel sorry for himself, he forgot a most crucial point: over here she always invited him but he always said no. Next time, he resolved to say yes. 


End file.
